“Well, I want a whole bunch,” Tyler says. “I’ve told Cindy that I’m happy to start trying whenever.”
We guys all laugh. “I bet,” Jake snickers. “Maybe you can try for a whole hockey team?”
“Maybe we will,” Tyler chuckles. “What about you, Ben, you're married with kids, yeah?” he asks.
“Yeah. I have a great wife and two beautiful kids,” he says, running his hand through a short mop of curls. “No complaints here. I mean, we’ve had our struggles, but we got through them. I guess I got lucky, too.”
“Well, we all know Jake is in no hurry to get tied down,” Taylor gives Jake a nudge on the other side of him, enough to make Jake’s body rock. “So no point going there.”
“Hey!” Jake holds up his palms in lame protest, but he’s not fooling anyone. He may have taken a little shining to Jade’s friend, Beth, but we all know he’s nowhere near ready to settle down just yet. “For the right woman, who knows?”
“So, it’s just Jay we need to get sorted out?” Tanner says, offering me a commiserative pat on the back and a grip on my shoulder. “Do you think you’ll ever settle down, big guy?”
Fuck me if my heart doesn’t thud right out of my chest cavity when he’s asking me that. I avoid the intent gazes of my best friends and swallow hard. Luckily, the next round of drinks givesme a second’s pause, trying to think straight. The fucking tequila doesn’t help. This thing with Jade might be new, but as soon as we’ve talked this out a little more, I know I need to tell him. I feel like an asshole sitting here knowing what I know, my friends knowing, too, and Tanner has no idea.
As we all throw back the next shot, I know I’m out of time and need to fucking answer the man. “One hundred percent,” I say with an assured nod, one that I have no hesitation over. It’s whether I’m truly good enough for her that’s always in question. “It happens to the best of us, doesn’t it?”
“Here, here!” Tanner calls out as we all cheer and holler. I mean, in reality, what could be better than the love of a good woman? And having kids someday would be cool, hell, I’d love to even foster or adopt a couple of kids when the time comes as well as have my own.
I can see Jade being a mom. Her carrying my kid would be the ultimate. It may be early days for us, but it’s still a conversation I want to have.
A vision of at least two little blonde, blue-eyed kids running around our backyard brings a very satisfied smile to my lips. Maybe even a dog and veggie patch, too.
You just never know what’s in store, and that’s the beauty of it.
We have all this to discover.
After those shots and a little heart to heart, us guys check into adjoining the casino. And I don’t mean to be counting down the clock, but I sorta do when Jade is in question. I guess I’ll be with her soon enough.
I glance around the unique space, which is the coziest, more comforting looking casino I’ve ever laid eyes on. The interior is reminiscent of an alpine lodge, with stained wood beams covering the entire roof span, intricate stone work adorns the walls, and deep red, burgundy and beige hues reflect off the thick velvet carpets.
The girls were all grabbing some pizzas and having drinks back at Jade’s parents’ suite tonight, where I’ve no doubt Robbie will be getting more head rubs and massages if he’s got anything to do with it. But I want to see her. I want to claim her, own her, and show her what she means to me.
Maybe it’s the liquid courage of the alcohol, or just the adrenalin coursing through my veins after the guys all talking about the good women in their lives. But the burning need to talk to Tanner takes over everything else going on in my brain.
I told myself I’d wait, and the last thing I want to do is piss him off before his wedding. But I find myself grabbing his arm right before we get to the blackjack table. There’s plenty of table games and a players’ club, along with hundreds of slot machines. “Hey, Tanner, we need to?—”
“Fuck, is that some of the Seattle Hawks’ players?” I hear a voice right beside us before I can get the rest of the words out, then; “Jay Jefferson?”
Fucking perfect timing.
A very tall African-American guy has my attention. Both Tanner and I turn to look up at him. Tyler and the other guys have taken a seat at the table, right by where we’re standing. “Fuck, it’s half the team!” Another guy says, he’s a similar height to me, blonde short-back-and-sides, styled to with-in an inch of its life.
Tanner laughs and nods towards the guys. “You must get this all the time, Jay.”
“Kinda comes with the territory,” I say, offering a chin lift to the two guys.
“Nice to meet you, Bro,” the taller one offers me a bro-shake and a pound hug.
“Likewise—wait, are you?—”
My eyes bug wide, and now Tanner has realized his eyes are like saucers.
“Ian Hartford?” I choke out. He’s the Power Forward for the LA Lakers.
“In the flesh. And I’m a big fan. I hail from Washington originally.” A shit-eating grin covers his face as he glances toward my team mates. “Nice scoring at the game tonight,” he says, bringing his attention back to me.
“Thanks,” I stammer, not being able to even believe my luck. I don’t really follow the NBA to the latter, but I know a star when I see one, and knowing he was in the crowd tonight is a little overwhelming. I glance at his buddy.
